Big Bear Homes Sales are Up 59% !!

Sold through 2 24 2009

Big Bear homes sold year to date are up 59%. That is a good sign for the Big Bear Real Estate market. With 89 closed residential sales in 2009 compared to 56 closed during the same time in 2008 you could say the buyer’s are jumping off the fence.

 

Sold through 2 24 2008

As you can see, the average price is down $83,179, from $379,079 in 2008 to $295,900 in 2009.  Interestingly. the highest price home sold in 2009 is $2,700,000 this year vs. $1,900,000 in 2008. The lowest price sold this year $26,000 is 1/4 of the low price in this period of 2008 $105,000.

Price differential and days on the market remain relatively stable at 95 – 100% of list price and 140 -1 45 average days on the market for homes sold.

I know you are hearing it from everyone, but it really is a good time to buy! The current trend of less inventory (904 as of today), very attractive lending rates, and increased unit sales indicate a shift in the market. Don’t miss this window of opportunity!

Steve Hirschler

Associate, The Tim Wood Group

Coldwell Banker Mountain Gallery

42153 Big Bear Blvd.

P.O. BOX 6820

Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

stevehirschler@gmail.com

909 866-3481 EXT. 217 CELL 909 725-5889

Fax 909 866-3531

http://www.stevesellsbigbear.com

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7 Reasons why you’ll want to use “The Tim Wood Group” for your Real Estate needs in Big Bear.

1. We are professional agents and we know the Big Bear Real Estate Inventory and Market.

The Members of the Tim Wood Group are full time agents that spend hours everyday studying the Big Bear Inventory. Often we will visit homes that come on the market the day that they are posted to the MLS. Would you buy a car from a salesperson that doesn’t know the details of the cars that they sell?

2. We out work our competition. We are open from 8am to 6 pm 7 days a week.

We take our jobs seriously and work 6 or more days most weeks. The sale or purchase of a home is often one of your most important financial transactions, and we want to provide all of the information to help you make informed educated decisions.

3. We list your property on the Big Bear MLS, TheTimWoodGroup.com, BigBearEstates.com, So. Cal MLS, Active Rain, Localism, Craigs List, Back Page,all of the sites bellow, and others. 

 

We are constantly reevaluating our marketing and looking for ways to better serve our clients. Remember that marketing is only effective when properties are priced correctly. We pride ourselves on being honest with sellers up front on pricing.  

4.  All agents at Coldwell Banker Big Bear are active bloggers on Active Rain.

We know that over 80% of todays buyers are searching the Internet to find qualified agents to help with their Real Estate needs. We have a strong presence on the Internet and are constantly looking for new innovations and ways to educate buyers and sellers along with our agents.

5. No other real estate agent or group sells more Big Bear property than The Tim Wood Group. 

Tim has sold over 5000 properties throughout his career.  This has created a valuable network of past clients and referral business that generates multiple buyer leads every week!  Your property will reap the benefits of his 32 years of experience. Our group has over 55 years of Big Bear Real Estate experience.

 

6. Coldwell Banker is a name you can trust.

From the spectacular English Tudor building we work in to the hard working agents that we employ, our name is synonymous with high quality.  In fact, our work ethic continually puts us ahead of our competitor’s production levels and yet we have half the amount of agents as most companies.  We attract the kind of buyers looking for your property.  Our average sales price is well over the MLS average.  Perhaps the most impressive statistic is that throughout the Coldwell Banker industry for office our size, we have been recognized on numerous occasions as the NUMBER 1 office in the world for properties sold.

7. Our Team concept benefits our clients.

When you list your Big Bear property with Coldwell Banker “The Tim Wood Group” you will enjoy the benefit of our team working together to get you home sold. We select the agent from our team that is an expert in the neighborhood that your home is located to handle your property. We don’t compete for your listing amongst our fellow team members. When a sign call, Internet call, or walk-in wants to see your property they will be linked to an available agent from our group. This differs from most agencies that have independent agents that don’t have the ability to work with multiple clients simultaneously. 

Buyers will enjoy our vast knowledge of the inventory and availability on weekends.   

 

These activities will help you net the most on the sale of your Big Bear property.

 

Steve Hirschler

Associate, The Tim Wood Group

Coldwell Banker Mountain Gallery

42153 Big Bear Blvd.

P.O. BOX 6820

Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

stevehirschler@gmail.com

909 866-3481 EXT. 217 CELL 909 725-5889

Fax 909 866-3531

http://www.stevesellsbigbear.com

Follow me on Twitter

 

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5 Things You Should Know About Buying a Foreclosure in Big Bear.

1. Not every bank owned property is a great deal.

• They will at some point be a good deal, but if not priced correctly when listed initially it may take an agent or two before the price gets to the deal range. Some banks are not willing to listen to the listing agent and want to list at their price.
• Some have locations that are not a great deal for a vacation home or residence no matter what the price.
• At the right price everything is a deal, but maybe the deal doesn’t fit for you.
• You have to ask yourself, Do I want the best deal or the best house? 

2. Most are sold “AS IS”.

• Contingency periods are often shortened to 10 days or less. This makes it difficult for buyers from out of the area to do the investigations that they would like.
• Natural Hazard Disclosures, preliminary title reports,  etc. need to be ordered immediately so that the buyer has this information available prior to the end of the contingency period.

3. The bank will charge you $100 (average) per day Per Diem if you don’t close the escrow on time.

• It’s important to have your loan pre approved prior to writing the offer.
• Lender’s are a big part of this process, make sure you are a priority.
• Don’t use an out of the area appraiser. Big Bear has a member only Multiple Listing Service, so an out of area appraiser will have problems getting comparable sales. Be involved in the appraiser selection, you are more than likely paying for the appraisal.

4. Verify whether or not your lender will require a clear termite report.

• Many banks will not pay for termite inspections or repairs on their properties. If the bank has this clause in your addendum, you will need to be sure to have the inspection done quickly so that if the repair amount is unacceptable you can exit the contract prior to the contingency period.
• Lenders usually require a clear section 1 (wood destroying pest clearance).

5. Most bank owned / foreclosures have years of deferred maintenance.

• More than likely, the people that lost the home to the bank didn’t spend any money on upkeep.
• Most are in need of cosmetic items (paint, flooring etc.) , and some have missing hardware (plumbing fixtures, water heaters, garage door openers, interior doors, built-in appliances, etc.)

This is a short list of major items to watch. It’s important to use a local Realtor with knowledge of the areas and history of the homes. If you have an agent from out of the area, ask them  to refer you to a local agent so that you get all of the information necessary to make good decisions.

If your agent can’t tell you:

• Who supplies the utilities?
• What kind of termites we have in Big Bear?
• What a stop and waste valve is?
• Where the trash sites are?
• What is the property tax, and what items are on your tax bill?
• How much does it cost to put your boat on the lake?
• How do I winterize my Big Bear Home?
• Who plows the roads, and who should I call to plow my driveway?
• The difference between Big Bear Lake and Big Bear City.
• What the best restaurants are?

 find a Local Expert Realtor that does.

Steve Hirschler

Associate, The Tim Wood Group

Coldwell Banker Mountain Gallery

42153 Big Bear Blvd.

P.O. BOX 6820

Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

stevehirschler@gmail.com

909 866-3481 EXT. 217 CELL 909 725-5889

Fax 909 866-3531

http://www.stevesellsbigbear.com

Follow me on Twitter

 

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Lakefront Homes in Big Bear

Big Bear Lake has some great lakefront homes available.

Big Bear Lakefront Home

There are 37 lakefront homes available currently. These lakefront homes are priced between $500,000 and $3,100,000. With 17 sold in all of 2008, that is a 2 year supply. Of these 35 active listings, 2 are bank owned (.57%), and 1 is a short sale. I should mention that there is another short sale that is not listed in the local Big Bear MLS (like fishing with no bait). I predict that the 2009 summer season will be a good year for unit sales on lakefront homes in Big Bear since the lake level will be high, and because of market conditions many buyers will think that lakefront homes are selling at huge discounts. They are not. While lakefront home pricing has dropped approximately 15 – 20%over the past 3 years, the drop is much less than the overall Big Bear market.  If you are in the market for a lakefront home in Big Bear, it is not a bad time to start looking.

 

Steve Hirschler

Associate, The Tim Wood Group

Coldwell Banker Mountain Gallery

42153 Big Bear Blvd.

P.O. BOX 6820

Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

stevehirschler@gmail.com

909 866-3481 EXT. 217 CELL 909 725-5889

Fax 909 866-3531

http://www.stevesellsbigbear.com

Follow me on Twitter

 

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10 Year Deed Recording Information for the Big Bear Area

  

 

						10 YEAR AVERAGE – DEED RECORDINGS
Year	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	Monthly	10 Year	2009	% of
											Rank	Average		Average
Jan	125	125	158	130	194	163	128	139	77	44	11	128	68	53%
Feb	126	158	128	148	169	173	147	112	80	43	12	128		0%
Mar	183	174	168	187	197	219	186	118	99	59	10	159		0%
Apr	159	169	150	213	227	238	170	131	81	65	9	160		0%
May	151	193	182	269	200	268	171	132	99	83	7	175		0%
Jun	161	198	207	224	199	246	188	148	78	85	8	173		0%
Jul	195	180	187	247	228	275	171	108	95	104	4	179		0%
Aug	191	256	264	292	246	263	198	159	106	90	1	207		0%
Sep	231	248	199	274	281	263	228	121	82	109	2	204		0%
Oct	188	270	224	302	227	236	199	123	77	101	3	195		0%
Nov	227	217	187	241	231	224	192	115	87	70	5	179		0%
Dec	237	194	199	276	216	214	186	111	68	62	6	176		0%
Total	2174	2382	2253	2803	2615	2782	2164	1517	1029	915		2063		0%
Yr Rank	6	4	5	1	3	2	7	8	9	10
2007 vs. 2008  89%
									Compliments of…
									Barbara Cheek  909.605.3508
									FIRST AMERICAN TITLE COMPANY

This is the 10 year deed recording information for the Big Bear Area. The inventory of active listings in the Big Bear Area is now at 917, which is 16% lower than the number of active listings in January 2009 (1094). This is just about a one year supply based upon 2008 deed recordings. We currently have 102 pending escrows and 80 sold YTD 2009 (Big Bear MLS). Out of the 80 sold, 40 of those (50%) were either bank owned or short sale and 40 resale or new.

Steve Hirschler

Associate, The Tim Wood Group

Coldwell Banker Mountain Gallery

42153 Big Bear Blvd.

P.O. BOX 6820

Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

stevehirschler@gmail.com

909 866-3481 EXT. 217 CELL 909 725-5889

Fax 909 866-3531

http://www.stevesellsbigbear.com

Subscribe to “Ask an Expert, Big Bear Real Estate Blog”

Deed Recording Information provided by “First American Title Company”

High Timber Ranch, Moonridge Area of Big Bear

Some examples of current homes available in High Timber Ranch are shown below.

 

1679 Angels Camp / Listed by Larry Adam / Remax

•  3300 sq ft
• 4 bedroom
• 4 bath
• 25,500 sq ft lot
• Built in 2007
• $730,000

 

 

 

 

1498 Klamath / Listed by Walt Dwyer / Remax

 

 

 

 

 

• 1920 sq ft
• 3 bedroom
• 2.5 bath
• 20,000 sq ft lot
• Built in 2007
• $498,900

1466 Klamath / Listed by Therese McCallon / Remax

• 2384 sq ft
•  4 bedroom 
•  3 bath
• 24,900 sq ft lot
• Built in 2005
• $669,000

Steve Hirschler

Associate, The Tim Wood Group

Coldwell Banker Mountain Gallery

42153 Big Bear Blvd.

P.O. BOX 6820

Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

stevehirschler@gmail.com

909 866-3481 EXT. 217 CELL 909 725-5889

Fax 909 866-3531

http://www.stevesellsbigbear.com

Follow me on Twitter

 

  Subscribe to “Ask an Expert, Big Bear Real Estate Blog”

It’s not a Bear, it’s not a Bull, it’s a Buffalo!

 

 

 

The Real Estate market today can best be described as a Buffalo Market. These Buffalo’s, fueled by the media are running straight for the cliff. If something doesn’t change, they will all run right off the cliff.

Prices are down, sales units are up,  inventory is down and so are interest rates.

These are all good things, so don’t follow the herd off the cliff.

 

 Let’s take a closer look at the Big Bear Real Estate Market scenario.

The Big Bear Real Estate Market is actually showing some signs of improvement.

• We have had 70 residential homes close escrow so far this year. Last year ( 2008 ) had only 46 for the same time period. That’s a 52% increase this year!
• The median price sold has decreased from $290,000 to $233,850. That is a 19% decrease in median price sold in the past year.
• Inventory is down from 1094 in January of 2008 to 910 as of this morning, that’s 17% less inventory than a year ago.

In the Moonridge Area:

• Moonridge has 155 homes on the market, 17% of the total (910).
• 13 of the 70 sales have come from Moonridge, or 18.6%. 
• In 2008, 10 of the 46 sold (21.7%) during this time period came from the Moonridge Area.
• 16 of the 125 currently pending sales are in the Moonridge Area.   

So, don’t follow the herd. Contact a local real estate expert with knowledge of the local market you are investing in.

Steve Hirschler

Associate, The Tim Wood Group

Coldwell Banker Mountain Gallery

42153 Big Bear Blvd.

P.O. BOX 6820

Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

stevehirschler@gmail.com

909 866-3481 EXT. 217 CELL 909 725-5889

Fax 909 866-3531

http://www.stevesellsbigbear.com

Follow me on Twitter

 

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What do you want in your Big Bear Cabin?

I see more and more clients that are hoping to find the best deal, the one they think will be just sitting out their waiting for them to come along. Some buyers actually are looking for a cabin without the help of a local agent. This must be very frustrating. It reminds me of shopping at a big box retailer. I just wander around until I find what I am looking for. It takes me twice as long, but I know it is a waste of time to ask one of the clerks for help, since they have little knowledge of any of the products they sell.

If you have experienced this with Realtors, I apologize! I think the biggest enemy of a Realtor is the fellow agents that don’t know their inventory or their market. This gives the buyers in the market the idea that Realtors are not an essential piece in the search for a home. If your agent can’t hear what you want and direct you to it, they are wasting your time.

I won’t waste your time. I know the inventory. I listen to what you want, and then I take you to see all of the homes that fit your criteria.

What do you want in a Big Bear Cabin? Is it the bank owned property that is located in a neighborhood setting that reminds you of the home you live in now? Is it the house that they made the movie “The Money Pit” after? Is it stacked against the homes next to you so tight that you hope the neighbors don’t snore? Does the neighborhood look like a parking lot?

Let’s face it, what most buyers have always dreamed of in a mountain cabin is not unique. They want something that feels like a cabin, but has the functionallity of this era. They want seclusion and privacy. They want a quiet space with a view. They want rustic feel, with craftsmanship. They want to be near the ski slopes, but not at the party. They want to be able to take an evening or morning walk without concern. They want to hear the wind blowing in the trees and they want to smell the pines. They want to bring their family and friends to enjoy Big Bear’s four seasons of fun.

Once you find this cabin, place an offer. Hesitation at this point will give you a bad case of remorse. I can’t tell you how many times I have shown a buyer exactly what they want, and the love it, but they think they should wait a couple of weeks and then see what happens. This usually results in the cabin selling to someone who has already made this same mistake in the past.

The best cabins are not the best just because of price per square foot, or the fact that the bank owns them. The best cabins in Big Bear fit the description above. The only way you can buy one of these properties is to put an offer in writing to the seller.

Let me help you with your Real Estate needs in Big Bear

Steve Hirschler

Associate, The Tim Wood Group

Coldwell Banker Mountain Gallery

42153 Big Bear Blvd.

P.O. BOX 6820

Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

stevehirschler@gmail.com

909 866-3481 EXT. 217 CELL 909 725-5889

Fax 909 866-3531

http://www.stevesellsbigbear.com

Subscribe to “Ask An Expert, Big Bear Real Estate

Moonridge area of Big Bear (Video) Snow Report February 10, 2009

Moonridge received 1 1/2 – 2 foot of fresh snow on so far this week. This video was taken on Clubview Drive heading up to Bear Mountain. This is the Moonridge Area. If you would like to see what properties are available in Big Bear, just click here to: Search the Big Bear MLS.

Steve Hirschler

Associate, The Tim Wood Group

Coldwell Banker Mountain Gallery

42153 Big Bear Blvd.

P.O. BOX 6820

Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

stevehirschler@gmail.com

909 866-3481 EXT. 217 CELL 909 725-5889

Fax 909 866-3531

http://www.stevesellsbigbear.com

 

  Subscribe to “Ask an Expert, Big Bear Real Estate Blog”

10 Year Deed Recording Information for the Big Bear Area

We finish out the year in 2008 with 11% fewer deed recordings than 2007. The inventory of active listings in the Big Bear Area is now at 908, which is the lowest number of active listings in over 2 1/2 years. This is just about a one year supply based upon 2008 deed recordings. We currently have 115 pending escrows and 53 sold YTD 2009 (Big Bear MLS). Out of the 53 sold, 26 of those were either bank owned or short sale and 27 resale or new.

Steve Hirschler

Associate, The Tim Wood Group

Coldwell Banker Mountain Gallery

42153 Big Bear Blvd.

P.O. BOX 6820

Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

stevehirschler@gmail.com

909 866-3481 EXT. 217 CELL 909 725-5889

Fax 909 866-3531

http://www.stevesellsbigbear.com

 

Subscribe to “Ask an Expert, Big Bear Real Estate Blog”

Deed Recording Information provided by “First American Title Company”